(Portland, Maine) – The Friends of Ranked Choice Voting will be collecting signatures at the Tributary Brewery this Sunday from 3-5pm.

The Tributary is a long- time supporter of RCV and is hosting this event as signature gatherers try and reach the 61,123 signatures for the People’s Veto by mid-January.

Owner Galen Mott said, “We are delighted to open our doors again to support this measure. It’s good common sense political reform.”

In October 2017, the legislature chose to overturn the will of the people by refusing to implement the RCV law passed by a substantial majority in the November 2016 election. In response, supporters are gathering signatures via the People’s veto to overturn the legislatures decision.

RCV communications director Crystal Canney said, “It’s unbelievable that Maine people would vote overwhelmingly for good political reform that in the end will elect our leaders by a majority – only to have the legislature try to kill it with their delay and repeal tactic. There was no way supporters were going to let that happen and the People’s Veto began. Despite the near daily freezing temperatures more than a thousand volunteers are out there trying to implement legislation that the majority of Mainers already approved.”

The band will be performing an original song called: RCV: The Will of the People during the afternoon.

About the Friends of Ranked Choice Voting Band:
Friends of RCV is a collection of musicians from in and around the Seacoast who have jumped at the opportunity to promote Ranked Choice Voting. Playing in a relaxed hootenanny-on-the-porch acoustic style the
repertoire runs a range of genres including folk, bluegrass, jazz, Irish and classic rock too. Join Friends of RCV for a fun night promoting a worthy cause!

Appearing as Friends of RCV are:
John Miller(Dobro/Vocals)
David Coombs(Guitar/Vocals)
David Lemieux(Mandolin/vocals)
Mike Levine(Banjitar/Vocals)
Bob Myshrall(Fiddle/Vocals)
David Dupouy on banjo.

Portland, Maine – Rock legend, drummer, lyricist and vocalist Jon Fishman of Phish will hold a meet and greet and help gather signatures for Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) this weekend at Bayside Bowl in Portland. Fishman is taking part in one of the largest signature gathering efforts in Maine’s history with just a few weeks left to collect 61,123 signatures for the People’s veto.

In November of 2016 people voted by an overwhelming majority to implement RCV. In October of 2017 the legislature voted to delay and repeal RCV. The only recourse was the People’s Veto and the signature gathering campaign currently underway.

Fishman said, “When people speak as loudly as they did during the election in 2016 about the importance of their democracy we need to stand up, take notice and do something about it. It is not okay to ignore the will of the people. There was no question I was going to help anyway I could to get these signatures so Maine voters are not ignored. Maine people have said loudly and clearly – they want RCV.”

Campaign Manager Kyle Bailey said, “Jon Fishman joins some 1600 volunteers who have been working around the clock to gather these signatures. We couldn’t have gotten this far without all hands-on deck. His presence speaks to the seriousness of all people wanting a democracy that works.”

Fishman will be at Bayside Bowl in Portland from 3:00 – 6:00 PM on Sunday, January 14, 2018.

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For More information on the People’s Veto: http://www.rcvmaine.com
Contact: Crystal Canney at crystal@knightcanney.com or (207) 615-5968

Our constitutional right to direct democracy is under attack in Maine. This year, our Legislature has overthrown the results of a free and fair election by blocking all four of the November 2016 citizen-approved referenda in one way or another. Now with this latest bill, they are trying to stop the people from exercising our right to petition our government by blocking our access to the polls.

The only bright spot is our constitutionally protected right to the People’s Veto. Right now, in subzero temperatures, thousands of Maine people are working together to gather the 61,123 signatures to stop the legislature’s undemocratic actions.

Campaign Manager Kyle Bailey said, “”The People’s Veto needs all hands on deck. Please join us to send a message and defend our democracy. Every signature counts. Time is running out and we need you.”

The State of Maine is on the cusp of a transformational change in election law but our legislature is doing everything in its power to stop the people from getting the change we voted for. But we are fighting back.

On November 8, 2016, a majority of Maine voters approved Question 5 – a first-in-the-nation law that adopts Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) for the election of U.S. Senators, U.S. Representatives, Governor, State Senators, and State Representatives in both primary and general elections. The initiative became law on January 7, 2017. Question 5 received the second most votes of any citizen referendum in Maine’s history.

Politicians in Augusta have spent the last year actively working to derail the law, delay its implementation and force its repeal. In a Special Session of the Maine State Legislature on October 23, 2017, a law was passed that delays implementation of the law until 2021 and repeals it outright if no Constitutional Amendment is passed through the legislature by 2/3rds vote of both houses and an affirmative vote by the people.

Fortunately, Maine’s Constitution allows its citizens to veto actions of the state legislature that it disagrees with. Knowing this, we filed a People’s Veto referendum that was approved by the Secretary of State at 4:30pm on November 6, 2017. The following day, our volunteers across the state collected more than 33,000 of the required 61,123 signatures required by the Constitution.

If the People’s Veto signature collection is successful, it will force the use of ranked choice voting for the June 2018 primary elections for Governor, State Senate, State Representative, U.S. House and U.S. Senate. And if the People’s Veto campaign is successful at the ballot box in June, it will force the use of ranked choice voting in the November 2018 elections for U.S. House and U.S. Senate.
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